46 



THE HORSE, ASS, AND MULE 



natural trotter. At the time he was brought to America he was 

 regarded as one of the very fleetest and most powerful trotters 

 and is said to have trotted 17 miles in an hour. Velocity, his 

 dam, trotted 16 miles in an hour on the Norwich road in 1806, 

 while two years later she is reported to have made 18 miles in 

 I hour and 47 seconds. Thus it can be seen how a strong line 

 of trotting blood was brought to America. Bellfounder was taken 



Fig. 13. The Harvester (2:01), by Walnut Hall (2:08!), one of the fastest trotting 

 stallions of record, as well as a great sire. The driver is Edward Geers, the most 

 popular and highly respected driver on the American circuit. From photograph 



by the author 



to Orange County, New York, where he went into stud service. 

 Here he sired the Charles Kent Mare, a most important connect- 

 ing link with his American fame. Bellfounder died on Long 

 Island in 1843. 



The type of the American trotter or pacer is far from being 

 fixed. No breed of horses has been produced under more variable 

 conditions, and no recognized breed of stock contains a greater 

 variation in size, color, and character than does this light harness 



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